GUEST POST: The Socialist Contradiction

I pose a very basic question to Republicans who are accusing Barack Obama of adopting “socialist principals.” How are stimulus checks not a form of socialism?

Let’s back up for a second. The concept of stimulus checks is nothing new. The idea is that the government gives its citizens a check for a few hundred dollars with the idea that they are going to piss it away on DVD’s, clothing or other retail items to improve the GDP. The problem is that most people use those checks to pay their rent or pay down existing debt or other things they need which are likely not made in the United States anyways. The research is in and stimulus checks don’t work as intended especially when the economy is doing badly. This comes down to targeting. Stimulus checks are issued to those who have relatively low incomes and don’t have as much money for discretionary spending. Instead of buying stuff as they are intended, they would rather use the money to simply not be as poor.

So what does this have to do with socialism and Republicans and the election? I am glad you asked. About a week ago when Obama was talking to our favorite person ever, Joe the Plumber, (if you don’t know who he is, please invite me to the rock you have been living under or use your stimulus check to purchase a television). Obama mentioned that he was interested in trying to reduce the class warfare our country faces by changing our tax structure to favor those making less then $250,000 a year (I.E. Those who are not pretty damn wealthy). John McCain took one line he used to describe this, “spreading the wealth around”, to be the battle cry to call Obama a socialist. Now here is where I get a little confused. How are reducing taxes for poor American’s more socialist then issuing them stimulus checks, which is quite literally spreading the wealth around which John McCain supports? If you can answer that then you are smarter then I am.

The great irony is that this country has always been interested in spreading the wealth around. Have you ever wondered why social security didn’t simply pay out benefits that directly correlate to the amount of money you have contributed to it in your lifetime and no more? That would be in alignment with John McCain’s Darwinist principals as well as that of the free market but he would never get elected if he said that directly (In fairness, he remembers when there was no Social Security! -ed). So basically John McCain and George Bush support socialism but as the old saying goes, it is not that they don’t get it, it is just that they can’t sell it. Well maybe not Bush but that is a different story…Have a great day.

That is all

-Jonathan Frakes